The sexual health and wellbeing of Canadians who take part in group sex will be in the spotlight this Valentine’s Day with the launch of a first-ever national survey dedicated to these common but misunderstood practices.
University of Victoria sexual health researchers are hoping to collect 750 responses to an online survey to better understand how people have safer group sex, what makes group sex experiences positive, and what contributes to high-quality healthcare.
The bilingual, national survey is part of a broader community-based research initiative, called The Group Sex Project, which seeks to gain knowledge that will benefit people who participate in these prevalent but stigmatized sexual practices.
Aki Gormezano, a postdoctoral research fellow with UVic’s School of Public Health and Social Policy, says the survey will gather data related to the emotional, physical and psychological health of group sex participants.
The survey also will document common harm reduction practices used in group sex around sexual consent, substance use, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Gormezano says preliminary data shows that many people don’t disclose to healthcare providers that they participate in group sex. Researchers hope to develop resources to ensure healthcare providers are better equipped to serve this group.
Valentine’s Day is for everyone and all forms of love, intimacy and connection, and we see this as a great opportunity to draw attention to this under-served group.”
—Aki Gormezano, postdoctoral research fellow with UVic’s School of Public Health and Social Policy
Nearly 1 in 10 Americans have had a group sex experience in their lifetime, but Gormezano says we don’t know much about how prevalent group sex is in Canada.
Researchers work in partnership with a community advisory board of people with experience attending and/or hosting group sex events in southwestern British Columbia.
So far, the research team has presented their results at several conferences and have published two papers in The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.
Gormezano says preliminary findings from the project show that people are motivated to participate in group sex for many reasons.
There’s this stereotype of group sex as hedonistic, unscrupulous pursuit of sex. For many people, group sex comes with a strong sense of community and belonging and feelings of closeness and friendship with other people they’re participating in group sex with.”
—Aki Gormezano, postdoctoral research fellow with UVic’s School of Public Health and Social Policy
Survey participants must be 18 years or older, reside in Canada, and have participated in group sex at least once within the past five years.
The survey can be found on The Group Sex Project site. Contact [email protected] for more information.
The Group Sex Project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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**Note Aki Gormezano will be available for phone and online interviews only on Feb. 13 and 14. Public Health and Social Policy Professor Nathan Lachowsky is available for in-person and on-camera interviews. A French-speaking team member is available to speak to francophone media.**
